


Colorful Celebration

by KiddFox



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work, Pathfinder (Roleplaying Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 23:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20415937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiddFox/pseuds/KiddFox
Summary: The Shadowlord twins take their friend Dara to their home village to celebrate Crystalhue, a festival dedicated to Shelyn. Made for a friend(the maker of Dara)





	Colorful Celebration

The wheels of the cart clattered on the road, the occasional crunch of fresh snow being heard. Tiberius sat in the driver's seat while Dara, Malhavoc, and Lioth sat inside. Mal had fallen asleep, leaning on their boyfriend during the ride. The road soon lead into a dense forest, trees seemingly growing into natural arches as the road carried on. As the arches became denser, the twisting of branches became more elaborate, and eventually colorful decorations could be seen.  
Lioth shook Mal awake and pointed out the window causing the elf to grin. The colors decorating the forest became more frequent as finally they reached the home village the Shadowlord twins hailed from, Everglenn, a small but bustling town founded by elven druids. Once the cart came to a full stop Mal swung the door open and practically dragged the other two out behind themselves. “Come on, come on, there's so much I have to show you!” The excitement in their voice was so genuine Dara couldn't help but smile.  
As the human looked around, he saw that most of the villagers were elven-which wasn't surprising of course. What was surprising was the other races, a decent amount of humans, half elves, and when he squint he swore he saw...an orc? And a few elves with incredibly dark skin and pale white hair. There was also a menagerie of animals either flitting about or following their masters. He laughed a bit as a very large otter scuttled past, chased by a couple smaller ones. He then froze when he heard a sound that still haunts his nightmares, the howl of wolves.  
Tiberius hopped off the carriage with a grin and ran towards the sound quickly followed by Mal as Dara clung to the side of the wagon in fear. Their mother raised wolves he remembered the two saying. But what if the wolves aren't from here? What if it's an attack, what if what happened to his family would happen here, what if-His widened as he heard a much, much deeper howl. Lioth looked at him with a raised brow which Dara ignored as he swallowed his fear as best he could and charged after the twins.  
He screamed when he saw the absolutely colossal wolf who had Mal pinned under its paws. Oh god it was eating them! And Tiber was just standing there, laughing as more wolves surrounded him and-and he heard Mal laughing. The wolf was just licking them. He stood their, sweat dripping down his face, tears caused by stress and fear pricking at his eyes, chest heaving from terrified breaths and the want to throw up, when a firm calloused hand slapped down on his shoulder. He jumped and turned to look at who ever was behind him.  
It was a large, burly elf, a size he didn't know elves could be as stories and depictions usually show them as slender folk. This was a man who could probably wrestle a bear, which judging by the fact he'd seen at least one person casually riding a bear could happen in the village. “You must be one of the friends my boys have made. Are you going to be ok son?” His voice was deep and rough, but also kind and warm. Dara nodded, still a bit in his state of panic. “I'm Bastille Shadowlord, their father.” he held a hand out for a handshake.  
Dara awkwardly took his hand and was immediately shocked as the elf effectively shook his whole body with an incredibly eager shake. “I-I-I'm-m-sir please-I'm Dara.” His face was a little red and the man laughed before slapping his back.  
“Ah, I remember Mal sending one of their ravens with a message about you! I can see why you're scared. Blue's a bit of a fright even for someone without phobias. Come, come, I have someone you absolutely have to meet! Boys, stop playing with the pups and come along, we have to get this young man a cloak!” He placed his hand on Dara's back and turned him away form the wolves, who the twins were now saying farewell to, and off to somewhere in the village.  
“Granny Edwina! Oh granny Edwiiiinaaaa!” he called out as he entered a small home made from a mix of sculpted stone and trees shaped by magic. It was an incredible change of architecture form what Dara was used to, from being made out of the trees to being made with the trees. It had an interesting scent, and the floor wasn't carpeted so much as it was covered in a soft moss of some sort. He felt a bit out of place when Bastille asked him to sit. He sat in a chair that seemed to have been carved from a single piece of wood with intricate details carved into it and a very plush cushion.  
He tilt his head as the sound of wheels creaked over to him, and a very frail old elven woman in a fancy chair with wheels that had the same craftsmanship as the one he sat in now approached him. Her hair flowed down her back and has all kinda of flowers and ribbons decorating it. Her face was wrinkled in a way that he knew her life was filled with joy as she smiled at him warmly. And then he noticed the odd, scaly...bird? Thing? Curled in her lap, looking at him with large reptilian eyes.  
“So you are a guest of one of ours?” Her voice was soft and well worn from her many years of life. She nudged the strange creature and it hopped off her to skitter over to Dara. He looked at it, then to the old woman who made a “go on” gesture. He smiled and pat the odd creature who nibbled at his finger playfully. “That is Nibblet, he is my familiar. Bastille informed me you needed a bit of a calm down, so you may pet him as much as you wish.” Dara nodded, grateful for her kindness, and placed Nibblet onto his own lap.  
The woman, who he assumed was Edwina, the started making intricate hand gestures. As if from thin air several squares of cloth appeared floating before her. She squint and hummed, rolling closer to Dara to examine him. “Fan of red, brown hair, mmmm....yes, yes, autumn tones I think....” She muttered as she waved a hand sending some of the cloth away and making others touch. “And how old are you dear?”  
“Oh, um, I'm 35.” He scratched Nibblet under his chin as Edwina continued her work. He watched as she counted out 35 patches and with another wave of the hand a needle and thread appeared and sewed the patches together. Nibblet squirmed in Dara's lap to let him know the creature needed to hop off and do something. Dara watched the feathery thing scuttle over to a basket and pull out a large red broach which he carried over to Edwina.  
The sewing finished and the colorful cloth fell into her lap. She accepted the broach from Nibblet and, with great effort, managed to stand from her chair. Dara moved to get up to help her but she waved a hand. “I won't be up long dear, don't worry.” She gave him a warm smile and shuffled over to place the newly made shawl on Dara's shoulder, pinning it closed with the broach. She eased herself back into her chair and asked “well? Do you like it?”  
Dara examined his new accessory, feeling the soft, warm fabric. He smiled at her and nodded. “yes, it's beautiful. Thank you ma'am.” She reached out to pat his knee, and he placed a hand on hers to give it a light squeeze of gratitude.  
“Now, let's go show you off to your friends, hm? I'm sure they have a lot they want to share with you.” Nibblet had hopped back into her lap, and curled up to enjoy her gentle petting. Dara nodded and gave her a wave before heading out to find the twins. Bastille greet him at the door and walked with him.  
“She made you a lovely cloak. Did you enjoy meeting her and Nibblet?” Dara nodded, his smile growing. Bastille gave his back a hardy pat. “Good, good, Malhavoc and Tiberius should be home getting ready for the dance.” Dara tilt his head.  
“Dance?”  
“Of course! This is a festival for Shelyn, goddess of love, art, and music! Which reminds me, you'll have to either sing at some point or try playing some pipes. Tradition m'boy.” He gave Dara a playful punch. Dara laughed, rubbing where he hit-it didn't really hurt but still. They arrived at another house, this one seemingly made by two trees twisting together into one massive one. The door had a beautifully woven wreath on the front covered in holly, primrose, and pine cones. “Tatiana! I have the boys' guest! They told you not to let the pack in right?”  
“Of course dear, I'm not so cruel as to force him to face his fears.” A freckled elven woman walked into the entry room, wiping her hand son a hand towel. Dara looked around as she walked in, observing the various pieces of art and plant life within the house, and noticed the floor here had tightly packed yet still soft dirt with beautiful carpets laid out. He looked up at the woman, the twins' mom, and started fidgeting slightly. He knew she was the one who the wolves followed, and while her face was sweet, and calm, and, well, motherly, he could still feel that connection she had to the beasts that ran in his nightmares.  
She gave him a pained smile and waved for him to follow. “I don't know the depths of your fear young one, but I can respect it. I do hope you can see past it enough to not fear me at least.” She lead him into a kitchen, the smell of pastries, baked squash, and soups hitting him. “After all, I make a mean almond short bread.” She offered him a cookie and he paused a moment before accepting it with a soft thank you.  
It was crisp, and warm, and he could tell how much care she put into it. He gave her a nod of gratitude, still a little too awkward to show his real feelings to her. She pat his back. “There'll be more at the banquet. Speaking of, Tiberius, Malhavoc, Sonata! Lioth, you too! Help me get all this to the party!” She clapped her hands and soon all the elves-and dragon disguised as a half-elf-trot into the room.  
Everyone except for Sonata had on cloaks similar to Dara's although they were much, much longer. Lioth's dragged on the ground a bit while Mal and Tiber's were past the knees, Sonata-another female elf who had a clear resemblance to Tatiana-had colored streaks painted into her hair instead. Mal also had streaks in their hair, and Tiberius had ribbons and flowers woven into his long braid. Dara gave a slightly confused look to the twins.  
“Hm?” Tiber paused a moment before realizing what Dara must be confused about. “Ah, it's tradition to have men wear colorful patchwork cloaks and for women to paint colorful streaks in their hair. Mal identifies as both and neither so,” Tiber shrugs. “Then again who really cares in the end? I like colors too but I hate the feeling of paint so ribbons and flowers for me.” Dara nods in understanding.  
The group hauled the food out and to a massive table overflowing with the bounty of late autumn. Squash, root vegetables, stews, baked goods, jams and jellies, succulent meats. It was absolutely mouthwatering. Before he could dig in the twins were pulling him away. “C'mon, don't wanna dance on a stuffed stomach!” Mal gave him a grin as they pulled.  
“Yeah, trust me, I seen folks puke from going too hard,” Tiber said with a laugh.  
“yeah, in first person,” said the younger female elf, Sonata, with a playful grin. Tiber stuttered before huffing as he helped pull Dara off to where the music was playing the loudest. There were garlands hung among the branches of the trees as well as colorful pieces of glass and crystal which scattered rainbows across the forest floor which mingled with the colors of the dancers themselves.  
Tiber pulled Dara into the colorful circle that others danced upon as Mal let go to join their boyfriend. “C'mon, I'll show ya some of the basic traditional types.” He gave a playful wink and held Dara by the arm near his shoulder. He explained how the dance was basically a simple circle dance with the occasional bow, and easily allowed for passing partners-something Dara noted was happening quite frequently as couples danced.  
His steps started awkward, but as Tiber helped him he got more and more confident, feet trotting to the rhythm of drums and pipes and voices. He was a bit surprised when a completely strange elf, a woman with red hair in a loose bun and sun darkened skin, had grabbed his arm to take Tiber's place. He watched as Tiber himself was pulled off by the orc he'd seen earlier, laughing as the two danced. He gave an awkward smile and got a warm, friendly smile back as the two danced. More and more he was passed around the crowd, at some point dancing with the other Shadowlords as well as many strangers.  
While the music didn't stop, Dara found his legs getting a bit wobbly and managed to finally sit down. He had no idea how long he'd danced among the people of this village, and had no idea where his companions were at this point. He looked up when he heard a familiar creak of wheels behind him. “Hello dear. Having fun so far?” He nod in response to Edwina's question. She smiled back. “Hope you're not too winded. I have another gift for you.” She offered him a simple flute, one he noticed several children were playing off in the distance. He accepted it and, with a bit of help from her, managed to follow along...well not too terribly badly to the tune others were playing.  
It was a bit embarrassing, he knew his song was no where near what the others were doing, but at the same time, he only got warm smiles, and even applause as he played. It gave him the confidence to keep playing, even if it wasn't great, and to simply enjoy the moment. Behind him Edwina joined his rather chaotic dooting with her own song. He had no idea what she was singing as she sang in elvish. He eventually put the flute down with a huff of exhaustion. Edwina pat his shoulder. “That was absolutely lovely dear. Shelyn must be so happy today to see so many people giving their all for her.” Her smile was so warm and genuine he couldn't help but believe her.  
“Now let's go get some food, I made a mean hazelnut cake.” She gave him a wink and rolled off to where the food was spread out. Dara followed, eager to fill a plate high with the fancy food the people of the village put their hearts into. A little after he started eating Mal and Tiber managed to find him again, their own plates filled with food. Mal's had mostly sweets like pastries and candied fruits, while Tiber had a bit of meat and various vegetables.  
“Did you have fun dancing?” Mal asked excitedly. Dara nodded earning one of the elf's big grins. The group ate and talked, Dara admitting it was a bit overwhelming to be in a village so extremely different from his home, where the buildings were grown not built and animals ran about like citizens themselves. The elves were very understanding, and talked about how the village was made. It was peaceful, and welcoming. It...felt a bit like home.  
As the day went one stories were told, dances danced, and music played. A few couples proposed to each other in grand ways-yet with the feeling that both partners knew today would be the day such an event happened as none were turned down. Laughter rang through the air, uplifted by the joyful songs as the festival went on. Crafted gifts were also given, Dara himself obtaining a handful of simple crafts from children who found the stranger to be interesting, and “in need of more color.” It was endearing and warmed his heart to be so easily welcomed to this place.  
As night came, the music turned a little more somber and everyone started heading to a single location. Mal and Tiber took Dara's hand and lead him to the end of a spiraling line of people sitting around a massive bonfire. Dara was understandably confused as he was sat between the twins. “This is the last event of the night, the Zon-Zon doll,” Mal explained in a soft, hushed voice. The two were looking further ahead in the spiral of elves and eventually pointed out something being passed down the line.  
“There, that's the Zon-Zon doll. It represents Zon-Kuthon, Shelyn's brother who's heart fell to darkness. We tell it stories and good things that have happened to us in the past year, and send it off in hopes that he'll find it and hear our stories. To be able to remember who he was, and maybe some day return to that.” Tiber's tone was similar to Mal's, a tone of happiness and reverence as the somber end of the festival was explained.  
Dara watched as the doll wound its way closer and closer, thoughts of what to say flitting through his mind. Then he was finally able to actually see the doll proper as it got closer. It was made of various fabrics, and decorated with chains and spikes. It was hideous and yet everyone held it so tenderly, lovingly, with faces of compassion as they spoke softly to it.  
Then it finally was passed to him. It was softer than it looked, and while its visage was horrid there was that sense of love and care that filled the village. He rubbed a thumb over it as he held it, pondering how exactly to word his thoughts. “I....I've had...a hard life. I...I know what it's like, to feel...to feel the pull of darkness, of....” he paused a moment to take a breath. “To feel anger, and pain, and....and then I met these guys, I met new friends, I....I helped save so many people with them. I...I still have tugs of that darkness, but it doesn't have to be what shapes me. Revenge doesn't have to be my only goal in life. I Have friends who're like family, I have goodness, and kindness, and...and I hope you can get that too.”  
The twins gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze before he passed the doll on, a feeling of...peace, of a moment of mending to his very soul, washed over him. He leaned on Mal, figuring the more touchy caring elf wouldn't mind the need for a bit of physical contact as much as their brother, only to be surprised as Tiber pulled the two into a hug. “Happy Crystalhue Dara.” The two said, almost in sync. Dara pratcically broke down, pulling the two into a tighter hug.  
“You too guys...you too.” The elves smiled and hugged him back, as snow started to fall, as the doll made its way to the end of the line and was offered to one of the many large birds in the village. They watched as the bird carried it off, in hopes of finding the being it was based on, moonlight dancing off its wings. The three sat, saying nothing, simply feeling at peace in each other's company.


End file.
